This invention relates to fishing rods in general, and more particularly to a telescopic fishing rod that can be extended and contracted by turning a handle.
We have developed a telescopic fishing rod having a built-in device for extending the fishing rod by utilizing the restitution elasticity of a coil spring for actuating a push-out shaft to cause rod elements to slide out of a grip rod element to obtain full extension of the fishing rod. This device for extending the telescopic fishing rod is constructed such that the push-out shaft for causing extension of the rod elements contained in the grip rod element to take place is fitted in the grip rod element, and the coil spring is mounted for cooperation with the push-out shaft. The coil spring is in a compressed state but the energy retained by the spring is released when a lever or a pushbutton is manipulated so that the restitution elasticity of the coil spring causes the push-out shaft to push the rod elements out of the grip rod element to achieve full extension of the fishing rod in a short period of time.
In a telescopic fishing rod provided with the aforesaid type of device for extending the fishing rod, the fishing rod in a contracted state can be readily brought to an extended state by using a relatively simple construction. However, difficulties have hitherto been experienced in causing the aforesaid type of device to perform the function of automatically bringing the fishing rod in an extended state to a contracted state, because this makes the construction of the device complex and there are some technical problems that have to be solved. Also, the aforesaid type of device for bringing a fishing rod from a contracted state to an extended state by utilizing the restitution elasticity of a compression spring has the possibility of causing injury to persons because the rod elements slide one out of another quickly with a great force. This has made it necessary to provide a suitable safety device to the fishing rod to ensure that the device operates safely. Thus there has hitherto been available no device which is capable of both extending and contracting a telescopic fishing rod to the satisfaction of those who use this type of fishing rod without causing any injury to other persons.